GS Artists Swansea is looking for a creative practitioner to work with both itself and National Waterfront Museum, Swansea on a two year project- Perspective(s)
Perspective(s) is a new collaboration between the Arts Council of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru, supporting seven visual arts organisations to work with seven creative practitioners, over 2 years, in partnership with one of seven Amgueddfa Cymru museums across Wales.
Perspective(s) is designed to bring about a step change in how the visual arts and heritage sector reflects the cultural and ethnic diversity of our society.
If you are a creative practitioner from a culturally or ethnically diverse background read more below-
Summary of the programme
Perspective(s) is a new collaboration between the Arts Council of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, which seeks to bring about a step change on how the visual arts and heritage sector reflects the cultural and ethnic diversity of our society.
Over a two-year period, creative professionals from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds will work with the museums and visual arts organisations, to platform untold stories, create artistic responses and act as an agent for change. The programme seeks to challenge current ways of thinking by engaging with communities to explore the visual arts and heritage sector through an anti-racist and decolonial lens.
Summary of organisations
GS Artists Swansea is an artist’s project on the High Street of Swansea. Formed in 2014 it has organically developed through artist volunteers to a not for profit company in 2018, and is now run by a group of freelance artists, with a fair pay policy for all. (www.galeriesimpsonswansea.com)
Over the last 5 years we have worked extensively with emerging artists; supporting solo presentation’s, hosting talks from over 50 artists, and developing off site projects with an intergenerational group of creative practitioners based in Wales.
We are equally committed to working with our local community, having developed our engagement via a specifically focused project- the 9 to 90 Creative Community with it’s own dedicated website.(www.9to90creativecommunity.com) Through constant consultation the 9 to 90 has progressed from a prescriptive outreach project, to a community led one with a weekly art club, programmed and often led by our volunteers.
National Waterfront Museum, Swansea, is part of Amgueddfa Cymru-Museum Wales. The museum opened its doors in 2005 and is at the heart of Swansea’s thriving marina. Housed in an original waterfront warehouse linked to a ultra-modern slate and glass building, the Museum explores the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the people and landscapes of Wales. It also shows the huge impact Welsh coal, steel and iron had on the rest of the world – and the influences of Welsh innovations today.
The role and what we are looking for;
A creative practitioner to work with both GS Artists Swansea and National Waterfront Museum, Swansea on new ways of decolonising public spaces, acting as a critical friend and an agent of change. We want you to question and challenge current ways of thinking within the organisations by engaging with communities to explore the visual arts and heritage sector through an anti-racist and decolonial lens.
About the creative output:
As the creative practitioner, one of your primary responsibilities would be to approach the decolonisation of the Museum’s collection, fostering new perspectives and adding fresh layers of interpretation to the existing exhibitions and displays. Your Interpretation or responses might be informed by Welsh import and export links to colonisation for example.
Mapping out the intricate colonial trading relationships that have shaped the collection, uncovering hidden narratives and making connections across diverse historical contexts to bring these narratives to life.
The creative practitioner should have the ability to work sensitively in a complex network of stakeholders and employ participatory methods to engage with and articulate underrepresented lived experiences and produce a range of interpretative materials to engage the wider community.
You should critically engage with the dominant narratives that perpetuate underrepresentation and have an understanding of the structural barriers faced by different groups within society. Understand the links between history, culture and social imagination and actively challenge preconceptions in a constructive way.
You could be an artist, maker, photographer, filmmaker or working in performance.
- We are looking for someone who is socially and politically engaged who can work with both National Waterfront Museum Swansea and Galerie Simpson to; challenge and disrupt colonial legacies and/or engage in anti-racism through potential exhibitions, displays, events, or performance.
You must be culturally and ethnically diverse*, based in Wales, and be at a point in your work to significantly benefit from the learning and development offered by this opportunity, and have a clear rationale for wanting to participate.
The role would require you to spend 100 days split between museum and visual arts organisation, and that would include participation in four networking events that will be held during the project. These will involve the creative professionals, the visual arts organisations and museums.
You would be asked to engage with community groups to discover new perspectives and stories, aiming to bring about progressive change at an individual, community, and organisational level.
You would also be required to participate in evaluation, led by the Arts Council of Wales in partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru throughout the programme. This will aim to disseminate learning to the sector to help deepen understanding and experience of the work, assessing the impact of the Perspective(s) programme using the following six building blocks:
Space – To decolonise public spaces, such as museum and galleries. Community – Facilitate deeper and wider community engagement. Learning – To use collections, displays and exhibitions as catalysts for learning, especially in relation to colonialism, slavery, and Empire.
Creative Practitioner Development – To facilitate the development of Creative Professionals from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds.
Sector Development – To develop visual arts organisations and a heritage sector in Wales that is actively anti-racist and more intersectional.
Democratise and Decolonise – To develop processes and new ways of working that are democratic and intersectional working towards an anti-racist arts and heritage sector.
*We define ‘culturally and ethnically diverse’ as
Anyone from the African, Asian, Caribbean, Hispanic, Latino, Eastern European, or Middle Easter diaspora in Wales. Anyone who identifies as being from an ethnic group that is not exclusively White. Anyone from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities.
NB- please contact us directly at info@galeriesimpsonswansea.com if you have any access requirements in order to complete this application.
What we offer
- £25,000 for 100 days of work to be concluded by March 2025,
- Professional and technical support for developing artworks, exhibitions and events
- Support from the GS Artists team in all aspects of this project, including ensuring all of the artists requirements are accommodated and safeguarding their wellbeing.
Key Dates
Submission – midnight, July 23rd.
All work to be concluded by March 2025 – end of programme.
How to Apply
Application is via up to three pages of A4 (PDF preferred) minimum font size 12. You can also include voice or video messages of up to 10mins each. Please submit by midnight on July 23rd to info@galeriesimpsonswansea.com (you will receive an email acknowledging receipt)
Your submission should include the following:
Tell us why you want to take part in the Perspectives program. What do you hope to gain or achieve?
Please let us know your experience in working on the following:
-Anti-racist/de-colonising projects?
-Engaging with community groups/individuals from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds?
Please provide information about your artistic practice providing examples as still images, links to your website or a link to a video showreel (maximum 5 minutes) from an online resource such as Vimeo or YouTube.
Any questions please contact: info@galeriesimpsonswansea.com
Crynodeb o’r rhaglen
Mae Safbwynt(iau) yn gydweithrediad newydd rhwng Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru ac Amgueddfa Cymru, sy’n ceisio sicrhau newid sylweddol yn y modd y mae sector y celfyddydau gweledol a threftadaeth yn adlewyrchu amrywiaeth ddiwylliannol ac ethnig ein cymdeithas.
Dros gyfnod o ddwy flynedd, bydd gweithwyr creadigol proffesiynol o gefndiroedd diwylliannol ac ethnig amrywiol yn gweithio gyda’r amgueddfeydd a sefydliadau’r celfyddydau gweledol, i lwyfannu straeon heb eu hadrodd, creu ymatebion artistig a gweithredu fel asiant ar gyfer newid. Mae’r rhaglen yn ceisio herio ffyrdd presennol o feddwl drwy ymgysylltu â chymunedau i archwilio’r celfyddydau gweledol a’r sector treftadaeth trwy lens gwrth-hiliaeth a dad-wladychol.
Crynodeb o’r sefydliadau
Mae GS Artists Abertawe yn brosiect artistiaid ar Stryd Fawr Abertawe. Wedi’i ffurfio yn 2014, mae wedi datblygu’n organig drwy artistiaid sy’n gwirfoddoli i gwmni dielw yn 2018, ac mae bellach yn cael ei redeg gan grŵp o artistiaid llawrydd, gyda pholisi tâl teg i bawb. (www.galeriesimpsonswansea.com)
Dros y 5 mlynedd diwethaf rydym wedi gweithio’n helaeth gydag artistiaid newydd, wedi cefnogi cyflwyniadau unigol, cynnal sgyrsiau gan dros 50 o artistiaid, a datblygu prosiectau oddi ar y safle gyda grŵp o ymarferwyr creadigol sy’n pontio’r cenedlaethau yng Nghymru.
Rydym yr un mor ymroddedig i weithio gyda’n cymuned leol, ar ôl datblygu ein hymgysylltiad trwy brosiect â ffocws penodol – y Gymuned Greadigol 9 i 90 gyda’i gwefan bwrpasol ei hun (www.9to90creativecommunity.com). Trwy ymgynghori cyson mae’r 9 i 90 wedi symud ymlaen o brosiect allgymorth rhagnodol i un a arweinir gan y gymuned gyda chlwb celf wythnosol, wedi’i raglennu ac yn aml yn cael ei arwain gan ein gwirfoddolwyr.
Mae Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau, Abertawe, yn rhan o Amgueddfa Cymru. Agorodd yr amgueddfa ei drysau yn 2005 ac mae wrth galon marina brysur Abertawe. Wedi’i lleoli mewn warws gwreiddiol ar y glannau wedi’i gysylltu ag adeilad llechi a gwydr hynod fodern, mae’r Amgueddfa’n archwilio effaith y Chwyldro Diwydiannol ar bobl a thirweddau Cymru. Mae hefyd yn dangos yr effaith aruthrol a gafodd glo, dur a haearn Cymru ar weddill y byd – a dylanwadau arloesi Cymreig heddiw.
Y rôl a’r hyn yr ydym yn edrych amdano
Ymarferydd creadigol i weithio gyda GS Artists Abertawe ac Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau, Abertawe ar ffyrdd newydd o ddad-wladychu mannau cyhoeddus, gan weithredu fel ffrind beirniadol – asiant newid. Rydym am i chi gwestiynu a herio ffyrdd presennol o feddwl o fewn y sefydliadau drwy ymgysylltu â chymunedau i archwilio’r sector celfyddydau gweledol a threftadaeth trwy lens gwrth-hiliaeth a dad-wladychol.
Ynglŷn â’r allbwn creadigol:
Fel yr ymarferwr creadigol, un o’ch prif gyfrifoldebau fyddai mynd i’r afael â’r broses o ddechrau dad-drefedigaethu casgliad yr amgueddfa, meithrin safbwyntiau newydd ac ychwanegu haenau newydd at y modd yr ydym yn dehongli’r arddangosfeydd a’r dangosiadau presennol. Mae’n bosib y bydd eich dehongliadau neu eich ymatebion yn cael eu ffurfio gan sawl elfen gwahanol, er enghraifft cysylltiad Cymru â mewnforio ac allforio trefedigaethol.
Byddwch yn mapio cymhlethdod y perthnasau masnachu trefedigaethol sydd wedi siapio’r casgliad hwn, yn datguffio’r naratifau cudd ac yn gwneud cysylltiadau ar draws cyd-destunau hanesyddol amrywiol er mwyn dod â’r naratifau hyn yn fyw.
Dylai fod gan yr ymarferydd creadigol y gallu i weithio’n sensitif mewn rhwydwaith cymhleth o randdeiliaid, a defnyddio dulliau cyfranogol i ymgysylltu â phrofiadau byw nad ydynt yn cael eu cynrychioli’n ddigonol a mynegi’r profiadau hynny, a chynhyrchu ystod o ddeunyddiau dehongli i ymgysylltu â’r gymuned ehangach.
Dylech ymgysylltu’n feirniadol â’r naratifau amlycaf sy’n parhau tangynrychiolaeth a meddu ar ddealltwriaeth o’r rhwystrau strwythurol a wynebir gan wahanol grwpiau o fewn cymdeithas. Dylech ddeall y cysylltiadau rhwng hanes, diwylliant a dychymyg cymdeithasol a mynd ati i herio rhagdybiaethau mewn ffordd adeiladol.
Gallech fod yn artist, yn wneuthurwr, yn ffotograffydd, yn wneuthurwr ffilmiau neu’n gweithio ym maes perfformio.
- Rydym yn chwilio am rywun sy’n ymgysylltu’n gymdeithasol ac yn wleidyddol a all weithio gydag Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau Abertawe a Galerie Simpson i herio ac amharu ar etifeddiaeth wladychol a/neu gymryd rhan mewn gwrth-hiliaeth trwy arddangosfeydd, arddangosiadau, digwyddiadau neu berfformiadau posibl.
Rhaid i chi fod yn amrywiol yn ddiwylliannol ac yn ethnig*, wedi’ch lleoli yng Nghymru, a bod ar gam yn eich gwaith i elwa’n sylweddol o’r dysgu a’r datblygiad a gynigir gan y cyfle hwn, a bod â sail resymegol glir dros fod eisiau cymryd rhan.
Byddai’r rôl yn gofyn i chi dreulio 100 diwrnod wedi’u rhannu rhwng amgueddfa a sefydliad celfyddydau gweledol, a byddai hynny’n cynnwys cymryd rhan mewn pedwar digwyddiad rhwydweithio a gynhelir yn ystod y prosiect. Bydd y rhain yn cynnwys y gweithwyr creadigol proffesiynol, y sefydliadau celfyddydau gweledol ac amgueddfeydd.
Byddai gofyn i chi ymgysylltu â grwpiau cymunedol i ddarganfod safbwyntiau a straeon newydd, gyda’r nod o sicrhau newid cynyddol ar lefel unigol, cymunedol a sefydliadol.
Byddai gofyn i chi hefyd gymryd rhan mewn gwerthusiad, dan arweiniad Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru mewn partneriaeth ag Amgueddfa Cymru drwy gydol y rhaglen. Y nod fydd lledaenu dysgu i’r sector i helpu i ddyfnhau dealltwriaeth a phrofiad o’r gwaith, gan asesu effaith y rhaglen Safbwynt(iau) gan ddefnyddio’r chwe bloc adeiladu canlynol;
Gofod – Dad-wladychu mannau cyhoeddus, megis amgueddfeydd ac orielau.
Cymuned – Hwyluso ymgysylltiad dyfnach ac ehangach â’r gymuned.
Dysgu – Defnyddio casgliadau, arddangosiadau ac arddangosfeydd fel catalyddion ar gyfer dysgu, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â gwladychiaeth, caethwasiaeth, ac Ymerodraeth.
Datblygiad Ymarferwyr Creadigol – Hwyluso datblygiad Gweithwyr Creadigol Proffesiynol o gefndiroedd diwylliannol ac ethnig amrywiol.
Datblygu’r Sector – Datblygu sefydliadau celfyddydau gweledol a sector treftadaeth yng Nghymru sy’n weithredol wrth-hiliol ac yn fwy croestoriadol.
Democrateiddio a Dad-wladychu – Datblygu prosesau a ffyrdd newydd o weithio sy’n ddemocrataidd ac yn groestoriadol gan weithio tuag at sector celfyddydau a threftadaeth gwrth-hiliol.
*Rydym yn diffinio ‘yn amrywiol yn ddiwylliannol ac yn ethnig’ fel hyn:
Unrhyw un o’r gymuned alltud Affricanaidd, Asiaidd, Caribïaidd, Sbaenaidd, Latino, Dwyrain Ewrop neu’r Dwyrain Canol yng Nghymru
Unrhyw un sy’n nodi ei fod o grŵp ethnig nad yw’n Wyn yn unig.
Unrhyw un o Gymunedau Sipsiwn, Roma a Theithwyr.
DS – cysylltwch â ni yn uniongyrchol yn info@galeriesimpsonswansea.com os oes gennych unrhyw ofynion mynediad er mwyn cwblhau’r cais hwn.
Yr hyn yr ydym yn ei gynnig
- £25,000 am 100 diwrnod o waith i’w gwblhau erbyn mis Mawrth 2025
- Cefnogaeth broffesiynol a thechnegol ar gyfer datblygu gweithiau celf, arddangosfeydd a digwyddiadau
- Cefnogaeth gan dîm GS Artists ym mhob agwedd ar y prosiect hwn, gan gynnwys sicrhau bod holl ofynion yr artistiaid yn cael eu bodloni a diogelu eu llesiant.
Dyddiadau Allweddol
Cyflwyno – hanner nos, Gorffennaf 23ain
Bydd angen cwblhau’r holl waith erbyn mis Mawrth 2025 – diwedd y rhaglen.
Sut i wneud Cais
Gwneir cais trwy hyd at dair tudalen o A4 (PDF yn ddymunol), gyda maint ffont lleiaf o 12. Gallwch hefyd gynnwys negeseuon llais neu fideo hyd at 10 munud yr un. Cyflwynwch erbyn hanner nos, Gorffennaf 23ain info@galeriesimpsonswansea.com (byddwch yn derbyn e-bost yn cydnabod derbyn y cais)
Dylai eich cyflwyniad gynnwys y canlynol:
Dywedwch wrthym pam eich bod am gymryd rhan yn y rhaglen Safbwyntiau. Beth ydych chi’n gobeithio ei ennill neu ei gyflawni?
Rhowch wybod i ni am eich profiad o weithio ar y canlynol:
-Prosiectau gwrth-hiliaeth/dad-wladychu?
-Ymgysylltu â grwpiau cymunedol/unigolion o gefndiroedd diwylliannol ac ethnig amrywiol?
Rhowch wybodaeth am eich ymarfer artistig gan ddarparu enghreifftiau ar ffurf delweddau llonydd, dolenni i’ch gwefan neu ddolen i rîl fideo (uchafswm o 5 munud) o adnodd ar-lein fel Vimeo neu YouTube.
Unrhyw gwestiynau cysylltwch â: info@galeriesimpsonswansea.com
